What more must Mohammad Asif do?

[Hawkeye]

PTV might pull up some highlights reel later, but you'd apparently have to wait the the end of the day for that....At the moment apart from social media I am not too sure where you would be able to get these !!

Edit : Check the post above me

For anyone else wondering, here's the official legal stream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG_V_2msN_o

 

[Gilly]

For the last 15 months every trick in the book has been used to delay or obstruct Mohammad Asif's return to international cricket.

He was obstructed from playing First Class cricket last season. This year his performances have been ignored, but more to the point the selectors have wilfully gone into the biggest tour of all - to Australia - without the only decent right-arm quick that Pakistan has got.

The excuses have got lamer and lamer.

First he couldn't be selected because he hadn't played Domestic First Class. (Even though that was because the PCB was making him do a Rehabilitation program that the ICC had ordered it to complete BEFORE the ban ended).

Now that he has played First Class - and been a class above everyone else in the two crucial matches of the season - the excuses continue to dribble out. First Class cricket is too weak, it doesn't mean anything.

When is someone going to take responsibility for this debacle?

Pakistan has so far had two winnable series outside Asia this year. It drew one and lost the other.

They are now odds-on favourites to lose the Brisbane Test which was made for Asif's skill set.

This is not an accident. This has happened due to the delaying tactics of some people and because of the blindness - possibly wilful blindness - of the selectors.

And the victims in this are the Pakistan public, who have to swallow defeat after defeat (three Tests in a row so far) because people are too busy settling scores to pick the best bowler the country has.

For the record, Mohammad Asif's full figures since last Monday, when his team faced elimination, are:

10-3-9-6

Who is responsible, and when is this going to stop?

Yeah that's a kneejerk reaction by you, what were Asif figures when the squad was selected?.

 

[Junaids]

Yeah that's a kneejerk reaction by you, what were Asif figures when the squad was selected?.

He was averaging 22. Now it's 18.5.

But that is irrelevant: everybody - especially Mickey Arthur - knows how good he is. As soon as he had shown that he was the same bowler as ever he should have been parachuted into not just the squad, but the first eleven.

You don't make Nico Rosberg drive an Uber.

 

[Slog]

Yeah that's a kneejerk reaction by you, what were Asif figures when the squad was selected?.

When the squad was being selected he was out nursing an injury

 

[Madplayer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG_V_2msN_o

Official PTV. Rewind to around 2:10 for 1st wicket, typical Asif.

First wicket was such a peach!!!!!

 

[Hawkeye]

First wicket was such a peach!!!!!

Well, that's just normal day to day work for Asif.

Classy McGrath v2.

 

[yasir]

10 overs 10 runs and 3 wickets , now whole Pakistan is watching the match.

Wapda's attack Asif and Irfan is better than Pakistan. Kisi aik ok lay aho bhai, we desperately wants to win here. Ideally Amir and Asif can be like old days of Ws.

Irfran is good enough to play FC? - If he can bowl 15 overs an innings I would play him in GABBA.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Junaids I hope you got reaffirmed

 

[Rayyman]

Amir and Sohail would be doing the same on these pitches.

 

[waleed88]

Can someone show me the first 3 wickets taken by Asif

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Can someone show me the first 3 wickets taken by Asif

Search on Youtube. Cannot be shared here due to watermark.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Search on Youtube. Cannot be shared here due to watermark.

The best out of the lot was Imam's wicket.... The way he dragged him forward (After the deliveries he bowled before them) was just....Amazing !! Pure genius at work !!

If this doesn't get one selected in the National Team, I don't know what else does ??

 

[yasir]

Asif and Amir duo is the answer to the misery of Pakistani cricket brand and fans.We want to make our bowling great again. Question is: Are we going to make our bowling great again??

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Asif and Amir duo is the answer to the misery of Pakistani cricket brand and fans.We want to make our bowling great again. Question is: Are we going to make our bowling great again?? ��

You make a great point Mr. Trump....I am all for bringing Asif back ASAP !!

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

The best out of the lot was Imam's wicket.... The way he dragged him forward (After the deliveries he bowled before them) was just....Amazing !! Pure genius at work !!

If this doesn't get one selected in the National Team, I don't know what else does ??

Pcb should take Asif's Passport immediately and acquire Visa.

He could be sent as a 16th or 17th member of the squad or He can join team in case of any injury to pacers.

The possibility of one of the pacers getting injured cannot be ruled out because on Aussie grounds you need A+ fitness to survive. Last time Sohail & Irfan got injured.

 

[Junaids]

Mohammad Asif so far has taken two more wickets in this year's QEA than Mohammad Amir did last year before his Test recall.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Junaids I hope you got reaffirmed

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]

 

[Junaids]

[MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION]

He has just been a joy and a privilege to watch today.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

He has just been a joy and a privilege to watch today.

Rashid Latif raising question marks on Asif's fitness.

He doesn't know that Asif had two injuries in last 3 months ? And he is coming back after injury ?

Is he raising these questions to lobby for his buddy Sohail Khan ?

Sohail considers rashid as his mentor and credits him for revival of his int cricket.


I do not agree with Rashid's assessment.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Guys, can anyone tell me at what minutes did Moh. Asif take the wickets in the PTV stream?

 

[Junaids]

Rashid Latif raising question marks on Asif's fitness.

He doesn't know that Asif had two injuries in last 3 months ? And he is coming back after injury ?

Is he raising these questions to lobby for his buddy Sohail Khan ?

Sohail considers rashid as his mentor and credits him for revival of his int cricket.


I do not agree with Rashid's assessment.

He bowled 18.1-4-29-4 today, and sustained his pace and accuracy.

Extraordinary comments by Rashid Latif. Bizarre.

 

[Junaids]

Guys, can anyone tell me at what minutes did Moh. Asif take the wickets in the PTV stream?

Just go to YouTube - the three top order wickets are there!

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Asif isn't still coming.

Pipe dream this.

No matter what, he isn't coming.

Just relax and try to support your players in Australia, instead of asking for something that isn't happening.

 

[Junaids]

Asif isn't still coming.

Pipe dream this.

No matter what, he isn't coming.

Just relax and try to support your players in Australia, instead of asking for something that isn't happening.

They are not "my" players - I'm not Pakistani.

But therein lies the problem.

The people most opposed to Asif's return are generally proud Pakistanis who were hurt by the 2010 humiliation and aren't aware that Amir was more guilty than Asif.

Neither of those apply to me.

I'm not Pakistani and outside cricket I have a fairly uncharitable opinion of Pakistan. And I know that Amir was more guilty than Asif. It's written in black and white in the ICC Tribunal report which found them guilty.

So I see no reason to support inferior players on this tour when the Pakistan selectors have chosen to exclude their best bowler on grounds I know to be absurd.

I have tickets for 7 days across two Tests. But every time Rahat or Wahab gets smashed, I will shake my head and say to myself "these Pakistanis brought this upon themselves with their foolish selections".

 

[Dr_Bassim]

They are not "my" players - I'm not Pakistani.

But therein lies the problem.

The people most opposed to Asif's return are generally proud Pakistanis who were hurt by the 2010 humiliation and aren't aware that Amir was more guilty than Asif.

Neither of those apply to me.

I'm not Pakistani and outside cricket I have a fairly uncharitable opinion of Pakistan. And I know that Amir was more guilty than Asif. It's written in black and white in the ICC Tribunal report which found them guilty.

So I see no reason to support inferior players on this tour when the Pakistan selectors have chosen to exclude their best bowler on grounds I know to be absurd.

I have tickets for 7 days across two Tests. But every time Rahat or Wahab gets smashed, I will shake my head and say to myself "these Pakistanis brought this upon themselves with their foolish selections".

You're not a Pakistani, and you see no reason to support inferior players.

Yet you bought tickets a month ago, when it wasn't even certain that Asif would make it. Why would you do that? And now you are worried he might not make it? (which was always on the cards).

And to top it of, you're not Pakistani , but you are begging for Pakistani selectors to select their bowler, more than some Pakistanis themselves.

Have you put this much effort into Australian cricket selectors? Or English ones , considering you are English.

Even your name is a typical Pakistani name, but you could be forgiven for taking that as a nick, considering you were besotted with Pakistani cricket.

But your claims sometimes flabbergast me.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Just go to YouTube - the three top order wickets are there!

I've been looking for 30 mins on the link for today.

 

[Junaids]

I've been looking for 30 mins on the link for today.

I just looked up Asif Habib Bank and it was there!

 

[Speedster777]

The people most opposed to Asif's return are generally proud Pakistanis who were hurt by the 2010 humiliation and aren't aware that Amir was more guilty than Asif.
.

Well I'm a proud Pakistani and I want Asif back in my team because I want my team to win matches and make us proud. Humiliation for me is watching Pakistan lose. It's ridiculous that we're going into the first test against against Australia with probably 3 left arm pacers. Sohail Khan should not have been selected over Asif. Had both Asif and Amir played in NZ we would have had great chance to win.

 

[Junaids]

You're not a Pakistani, and you see no reason to support inferior players.

Yet you bought tickets a month ago, when it wasn't even certain that Asif would make it. Why would you do that? And now you are worried he might not make it? (which was always on the cards).

And to top it of, you're not Pakistani , but you are begging for Pakistani selectors to select their bowler, more than some Pakistanis themselves.

Have you put this much effort into Australian cricket selectors? Or English ones , considering you are English.

Even your name is a typical Pakistani name, but you could be forgiven for taking that as a nick, considering you were besotted with Pakistani cricket.

But your claims sometimes flabbergast me.

I also went to watch Australia v SA and Australia v NZ at the last two Adelaide Tests. I just love Test cricket - it's not a nationalist thing.

The Junaids name is an accident - I signed up to this website just before the 12-13 South Africa tour, and nominated a slightly rude name related to Junaid Khan. But they moderated my name!

As a cricket lover, I enjoy the privilege of watching the best players during their brief careers. And I resent being robbed of that experience by selectors or cricket boards pursuing vendettas

 

[Speedster777]

Search on Youtube. Cannot be shared here due to watermark.

Just watched it on youtube, Asif is brilliant specially the first wicket was sheer class. The bowling attack in this final match looks better than the bowlers in current national squad.

 

[ExpressPacer]

I just looked up Asif Habib Bank and it was there!

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I would take bowlers performance on Pakistani wickets with a grain of salt.

These same bowlers will struggle to pick up a wicket on a flat track.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

If PCB decides to include Asif (and I'm begging them to do it) in the squad then I'm pretty sure they will do it in their typical fashion i.e. declare Sohail/Rahat/Imran unfit and rope in Asif for them.

Btw I'm very happy to see M.Asghar selected as cover for Yasir. He's currently among the best spinners in Pakistan.

Anyways, I'm totally supporting [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] here. We need to play our best possible XI in Australia and Asif is surely among them. It'd be like shooting yourself in the foot if Asif isn't selected now. He's been toying around with our future batting stars and I don't see any issue regarding fitness so it really is a no-brainer. Kind of like the Gareth Batty decision England took recently.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Just watched it on youtube, Asif is brilliant specially the first wicket was sheer class. The bowling attack in this final match looks better than the bowlers in current national squad.

Only Asif.


Irfan will get unfit on rock solid outfields. His fitness is poor.

Let's see if we need replacement or a 17th 18th player than what happens.

 

[Madplayer]

I would take bowlers performance on Pakistani wickets with a grain of salt.

These same bowlers will struggle to pick up a wicket on a flat track.

I agree. We can only know when he bowls in an international match. And thats unlikely to happen.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

If PCB decides to include Asif (and I'm begging them to do it) in the squad then I'm pretty sure they will do it in their typical fashion i.e. declare Sohail/Rahat/Imran unfit and rope in Asif for them.

Btw I'm very happy to see M.Asghar selected as cover for Yasir. He's currently among the best spinners in Pakistan.

Anyways, I'm totally supporting [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] here. We need to play our best possible XI in Australia and Asif is surely among them. It'd be like shooting yourself in the foot if Asif isn't selected now. He's been toying around with our future batting stars and I don't see any issue regarding fitness so it really is a no-brainer. Kind of like the Gareth Batty decision England took recently.

This is already a fact that any of our pacer can get unfit on Australian grounds which require top fitness. Many get back and hamstring injuries for a reason.

I won't be surprised if 1 or 2 pacers get injured.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

I agree. We can only know when he bowls in an international match. And thats unlikely to happen.

Why ?

 

[Junaids]

Just watched it on youtube, Asif is brilliant specially the first wicket was sheer class. The bowling attack in this final match looks better than the bowlers in current national squad.

I think that stuff is happening here.

Have any of you questioned why Misbah and Mickey Arthur picked three left-arm quicks at Cairns and left out both Imran Khan and Sohail Khan?

It's a loud and clear message to Inzamam and the selection panel: "the right-arm quicks that you have sent us are not good enough so we can't select them".

And that message was sent less than 48 hours after Mohammad Asif bowled WAPDA into the QEA Final.

We all know that Asif served as Misbah's net bowler at the NCA last year, and that after the England series Misbah played a charity game in Oslo, which is Asif's summer base.

I think that high level stuff may well be going on behind the scenes with all of this.

Remember, Australia has an off-spinner so Pakistan surely can't really field an all left-arm Test pace attack. Yet they did in the Cairns warm-up.

 

[Speedster777]

Now that he has played First Class - and been a class above everyone else in the two crucial matches of the season - the excuses continue to dribble out. First Class cricket is too weak, it doesn't mean anything.

and the last excuse was "he got wickets of tail enders" lol well now he just destructed the top order so take that haters

 

[ExpressPacer]

To be extremely honest, I'm astonished. I thought Mohammad Asif might still have the tricks in his bag but may not have any match fitness whatsoever and be completely down on pace because lets face it, he's at least 35-36 and being 5 years away from the game, whilst also having a weak-ish lanky body wasn't really going to take his case any further but I must say, he looks as threatening as ever. The same pace as he's always had and despite bowling a good amount of overs, he still looked agile and not stiff.

If Pakistan were to ignore the fact that he fixed and didn't really have a solid off the ground life, he should be on the first plane Australia. He looks much more threatening than a Imran Khan and Rahat Ali, if not Sohail Khan..

 

[uberkoen]

There is no reason to keep Asif out of the team. The excuses I hear on this thread are beyond silly. The man has performed at the highest level in domestic cricket and based on this deserves to come back into the team.

 

[Junaids]

There is no reason to keep Asif out of the team. The excuses I hear on this thread are beyond silly. The man has performed at the highest level in domestic cricket and based on this deserves to come back into the team.

The excuses have pretty much dried up. Today has seen a transition from the desperate "he's not fit" or "Waqas Maqsood has outbowled him" to people simply saying what [MENTION=43242]Dr_Bassim[/MENTION] is now saying: "he's not going to be selected, get used to it".

In effect, Mohammad Asif has won the argument by doing exactly what he was told to do to be selected.

But now Pakistan is being held hostage by people who didn't want him to come back, and who refuse to add him to the team even though he has met the conditions that were given to him for selection.

 

[Slog]

Rashid Latif raising question marks on Asif's fitness.

He doesn't know that Asif had two injuries in last 3 months ? And he is coming back after injury ?

Is he raising these questions to lobby for his buddy Sohail Khan ?

Sohail considers rashid as his mentor and credits him for revival of his int cricket.


I do not agree with Rashid's assessment.

If he has had a few injuries in last few weeks then isn't Rashid correct in raising questions of Asif's fitness lol!

 

[Slog]

Why no one is raising a voice for Irfan

And why didn't people raise voice for Bilawal Bhatti last year after the final where he outperformed Asif's performance today easily

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

If he has had a few injuries in last few weeks then isn't Rashid correct in raising questions of Asif's fitness lol!

You did not get the point.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

Why no one is raising a voice for Irfan

And why didn't people raise voice for Bilawal Bhatti last year after the final where he outperformed Asif's performance today easily

I think you should see furious Arthur Gif's again.

Irfan does not have fitness to last a Test. Even Odi's.


The quality of Asif isn't even comparable with Irfan & Bilawal.

 

[Junaids]

If he has had a few injuries in last few weeks then isn't Rashid correct in raising questions of Asif's fitness lol!

Why no one is raising a voice for Irfan

And why didn't people raise voice for Bilawal Bhatti last year after the final where he outperformed Asif's performance today easily

Mitchell Starc had an injury at the same time. He's playing on Thursday.

I'm all for Irfan in Australian conditions.

But did you watch today?

Asif gave the top order an incredible going over, they could not lay a bat on him.

And even when the ball went soft, he still only went for a total of 29 runs in 110 balls.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

To be extremely honest, I'm astonished. I thought Mohammad Asif might still have the tricks in his bag but may not have any match fitness whatsoever and be completely down on pace because lets face it, he's at least 35-36 and being 5 years away from the game, whilst also having a weak-ish lanky body wasn't really going to take his case any further but I must say, he looks as threatening as ever. The same pace as he's always had and despite bowling a good amount of overs, he still looked agile and not stiff.

If Pakistan were to ignore the fact that he fixed and didn't really have a solid off the ground life, he should be on the first plane Australia. He looks much more threatening than a Imran Khan and Rahat Ali, if not Sohail Khan..

Richard Hadlee once had a career threatening knee injury. After the age of 33 and 352 days He got 230 Test wickets in next 5 plus years.

Asif never had a serious knee, shoulder or back injury thankfully so he can play at highest level until the age of 38-39 provided he stays fit and performs.

Courtney Walsh also took 210 Test wickets after the age of 34 while McGrath who was drained out still managed 100 plus Test wickets.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

He must find the Jade Monkey, before the next full moon......

 

[Junaids]

Richard Hadlee once had a career threatening knee injury. After the age of 33 and 352 days He got 230 Test wickets in next 5 plus years.

Asif never had a serious knee, shoulder or back injury thankfully so he can play at highest level until the age of 38-39 provided he stays fit and performs.

Courtney Walsh also took 210 Test wickets after the age of 34 while McGrath who was drained out still managed 100 plus Test wickets.

In 18 months you play two Tests in England in May, when Asif and Amir would run amok.

Then, another 14 months after that there is the World Test Championship Final at Lords.

Two and a half years. Probably 15 Tests outside Asia and 12 in the UAE and 6 in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

That's another 120 Test wickets there for the taking by Asif.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mo is one of the very best bowlers I've ever had the pleasure to keep to incredible skill levels &#55357;&#56396;&#55356;&#57341; <a href="https://t.co/zIjrRLOoqd">https://t.co/zIjrRLOoqd</a></p>— Paul Nixon (@Paulnico199) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paulnico199/status/807631872192823296">December 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Pete Rose]

I am very happy for Asif and hope to see him play next year but for now pakistan has the attack to beat Australia if they can score runs. And that's really the only thing that matters - batsman have to perform

 

[Usman Chadda]

You know its sad. Rahat Ali, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Imran Khan, Junaid Khan etc should be head and shoulders above Muhammad Amir and Muhammad Asif. The latter two have missed FIVE years of competitive cricket. That time period is not a joke. People have established careers and made themselves indispensable during this time. The likes of Kohli, Smith, Cook, Root etc arrived on the scene and took the world cricket by storm during these years. In 2010, these same individuals were nothing. Five years is a long time, a really long time. And for these two to come back and be as good, if not better, than people consistently getting the opportunity to improve themselves day-in day-out, is a massive joke. A joke that the trio's detractors don't have the IQ to grasp.

The only thing these four or five bowlers have given us to remember all these years is an over-hyped (yet entertaining) spell by Wahab Riaz in the 2015 World Cup. Shameful to say the least. Absolutely shameful.

 

[fawad_wellwisher]

I think he is not in the team because no one is willing to to take responsibility if M Asif goes rogue again. But these kind of performances will back it very difficult for Inzi to keep him out of the team.

No pacer in the team has a guaranteed spot right now. Rahat Ali seems to be the most vulnerable because of his poor batting skills. Or even the under appreciated I Khan who has the best average among the lot can see himself out of the team pretty soon.

 

[Syed1]

He bowled 18.1-4-29-4 today, and sustained his pace and accuracy.

Extraordinary comments by Rashid Latif. Bizarre.

I always take these oldies with a bucket of salt. Rashid Latif used to cry hoarse for the selection of Khurram Manzoor and we all saw how big a disaster that turned out to be.

All these oldies have their specific agendas and players that they back.

 

[godzilla]

its half of one game. calm down.

he has massively failed so far all season, and this is one game where he has bowled well. lets see if its a fluke or if it isnt, more games is the only thing that will prove or disprove that.

who the hell picks a player based on one innings?

 

[Suleiman]

If Asif gets selected for the national team again, I will go buy a ticket for Australia and watch the test he plays in live. 20 hour flight, but it'll be worth it.

PCB this could be a great marketing strategy, include him and you will get a lot of ignorant sheep like myself flocking to watch him bowl.

 

[Junaids]

I think he is not in the team because no one is willing to to take responsibility if M Asif goes rogue again. But these kind of performances will back it very difficult for Inzi to keep him out of the team.

No pacer in the team has a guaranteed spot right now. Rahat Ali seems to be the most vulnerable because of his poor batting skills. Or even the under appreciated I Khan who has the best average among the lot can see himself out of the team pretty soon.

Mohammad Asif is on a 2 year probation period from the ICC from September 2015 to September 2017.

If the people at the PCB even understood this they would realise that no-one at the PCB needs to take responsibility: Asif would have his ICC ban immediately re-activated if he did anything suspicious.

In fact, the PCB has wasted 16 of the 24 months in which the ICC would take responsibility for Asif from them!

 

[Junaids]

its half of one game. calm down.

he has massively failed so far all season, and this is one game where he has bowled well. lets see if its a fluke or if it isnt, more games is the only thing that will prove or disprove that.

who the hell picks a player based on one innings?

Nonsense.

His QEA average this season is 18.6 compared with a lifetime 23.6.

Put differently, his bowling average this season is 5 better than Sadaf Hussain.

Anyway, all he had to do was prove his form - and in the de facto semi-final and final he has.

Show me when he "massively failed" this season. I'm all eyes.

 

[Suleiman]

If Amir can be rushed back into the national team despite being thoroughly average, don't see why we can't do it with Asif.

Ofc back then we didn't know he was going to be average, but why can't we take the same risk here, yes Asif is older, but that works 2 ways.

He has less time, but he has more experience. His body and mind is more used to the vigor and expectations of the international arena than Amir.

 

[Junaids]

Mohammad Amir in 2015-16 Quaid-e-Azam trophy:
4 matches
16 wickets @ 14.87 (did not play in the Final)
Economy rate 2.48

Mohammad Asif in 2016-17 Quaid-e-Azam trophy:
4.5 matches
19 wickets @ 18.63
Economy rate 2.31

It's looking to me awfully as if there are two sets of standards being used here.

And the guy who took money for 2 no-balls is being favoured over the one who did not take money and only bowled one.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Again most posters here are using Pakistani green tops as benchmark for Asif's form.

Even Amir would wreak havoc on these wickets.

I would like to see Asif on a normal wicket, before making any judgement, whether he's good enough, otherwise he will be manhandled by Warner to oblivion.

 

[ali2220]

The answer to the question is simple, Asif doesn't have to do much atall, the pacers in our current team will continue to do such a superb job that selectors will have no option but to bring Asif back.

 

[Junaids]

Again most posters here are using Pakistani green tops as benchmark for Asif's form.

Even Amir would wreak havoc on these wickets.

I would like to see Asif on a normal wicket, before making any judgement, whether he's good enough, otherwise he will be manhandled by Warner to oblivion.

And how is he supposed to get that opportunity?

He was told to play and perform in domestic to be selected.

Then he was told to play and perform in Domestic First Class to be selected. And he has - at the business end of the tournament.

Now you seem to be saying that he can't be selected in Tests on the basis of the conditions that were given to him. Which he satisfied. Now you are saying that he can't play Tests until he performs in Tests.

And by the way, the wickets he has bowled on are not as green as those for three consecutive Tests he is missing at Christchurch, Hamilton and Brisbane. All of which are a lot greener. And the first two of which have already been lost because Sohail, Imran, Wahab and Rahat could not pitch it up or hit a consistent length and line.

 

[yasir]

Again most posters here are using Pakistani green tops as benchmark for Asif's form.

Even Amir would wreak havoc on these wickets.

I would like to see Asif on a normal wicket, before making any judgement, whether he's good enough, otherwise he will be manhandled by Warner to oblivion.

I don't see green wicket

Asif has same magic, these are not fluke wickets, he set them up like before. He was also very economical, no loose deliveries, some thing really missing from Rahat/Sohail to put any pressure. His wrist is still as good as before.

 

[kingusama92]

From what I saw yesterday, he was near top quality. Impressive he's retained the same accuracy.

It's important to note with established players a good performance in domestic cricket should hold far greater weight than an uncapped player.

The reason for this is simple. The established players have already shown their domestic performances translate into international performances. Dragging on his stint in domestic cricket is a waste of time as he's shown the quality is still there.

If the idea is to keep him out of the international side than Inzi should be clearer with his vision. No need to drag Asif along.

Say something along the lines of, "We're hoping to take a new direction with our test squad and inject youth" to indirectly state Asif's days are over.

 

[Junaids]

Say something along the lines of, "We're hoping to take a new direction with our test squad and inject youth" to indirectly state Asif's days are over.

Except that Inzi has discarded 23 year old Ehsan Adil in favour of 32 year old Sohail Khan.

The PCB and the selectors and Misbah have really set themselves up badly here. They can't cite age as a reason to ignore Mohammad Asif given their policy on Sohail Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Younis Khan and Misbah.

That's why they currently look like bumbling incompetents or like hypocrites, with no other real alternative explanation apparent, although I'm open to suggestions on that and I hope that I'm wrong.

The decision to name the Australia squad with 1 innings still to play in New Zealand was comically inept.

And how do the selectors justify excluding Asif when in the last Test innings that Pakistan bowled, the opposition was able to declare?

 

[kingusama92]

Except that Inzi has discarded 23 year old Ehsan Adil in favour of 32 year old Sohail Khan.

The PCB and the selectors and Misbah have really set themselves up badly here. They can't cite age as a reason to ignore Mohammad Asif given their policy on Sohail Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Younis Khan and Misbah.

That's why they currently look like bumbling incompetents or like hypocrites, with no other real alternative explanation apparent, although I'm open to suggestions on that and I hope that I'm wrong.

The decision to name the Australia squad with 1 innings still to play in New Zealand was comically inept.

And how do the selectors justify excluding Asif when in the last Test innings that Pakistan bowled, the opposition was able to declare?

The board has tossed Inzi into an incredibly unfavorable situation with Asif.

It appears they planned on keeping Asif + Butt out using administrative means (i.e. excluding them from domestic cricket post-ban) and have now passed this responsibility onto Inzi.

He comes out looking horrible as his selection policy promotes the idea of experienced players. If Asif performs, his selection policy entails the lanky pacer should be picked.

However, I feel the board's directives are weighing on Inzi now. It's unfortunate if true considering how good Asif looked yesterday.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

And how is he supposed to get that opportunity?

He was told to play and perform in domestic to be selected.

Then he was told to play and perform in Domestic First Class to be selected. And he has - at the business end of the tournament.

Now you seem to be saying that he can't be selected in Tests on the basis of the conditions that were given to him. Which he satisfied. Now you are saying that he can't play Tests until he performs in Tests.

And by the way, the wickets he has bowled on are not as green as those for three consecutive Tests he is missing at Christchurch, Hamilton and Brisbane. All of which are a lot greener. And the first two of which have already been lost because Sohail, Imran, Wahab and Rahat could not pitch it up or hit a consistent length and line.

Pakistan has green wickets.

"As green" "not as green as those" is just made up nonsense to help a bowler justify his figures.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

I don't see green wicket

Asif has same magic, these are not fluke wickets, he set them up like before. He was also very economical, no loose deliveries, some thing really missing from Rahat/Sohail to put any pressure. His wrist is still as good as before.

You do realize, that if Asif doesn't perform in Australia (provided he gets selected on some fantasy) , you guys would still make excuses like

"he's the best fast bowler in Pakistan"

"there is no one better"

and continue to select him.


His performance or lack of performance is a non-entity in these arguments.

Most of these arguments had already decided that Asif was a potential ATG and he was ready for selection even before a ball had been bowled in Quaid Trophy.

A lot people just jumped on the clamorous bandwagon, after they saw Asif performing on incredibly green wickets and picking up wickets.

Thing is, I don't mind Asif being selected if he is actually that good.

However, the same happened with Amir, and he is nowhere near that good as his proponents make him out to be. Needs a lot of work.

Asif is already at the wrong end of 30. What excuses would be made for his performance? That Once Upon a Time in Wonderland he was good?

Well that we all, know.

Unfortunately it's not good enough.

All these scenarios though, come into the picture if Asif is selected, which again looks like a Wonderland myth at the moment.

 

[Junaids]

The board has tossed Inzi into an incredibly unfavorable situation with Asif.

It appears they planned on keeping Asif + Butt out using administrative means (i.e. excluding them from domestic cricket post-ban) and have now passed this responsibility onto Inzi.

He comes out looking horrible as his selection policy promotes the idea of experienced players. If Asif performs, his selection policy entails the lanky pacer should be picked.

However, I feel the board's directives are weighing on Inzi now. It's unfortunate if true considering how good Asif looked yesterday.

Exactly. This is a brilliant post.

I think that there has been a split in the PCB between the educated, westernised people like Shaharyar Khan, who bothered to read the ICC Tribunal determination and a bunch of board members who didn't bother to inform themselves on what Asif, Amir and Butt had really done, and just leapt onto Asif as a serial disgrace.

The ICC Tribunal which banned Amir, Asif and Butt - after ALL THREE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO IT - banned all three players for 5 years, with additional suspended (inactive) sentences against Asif and Butt which would only be activated if they offended again.

But the ICC Tribunal also directed the PCB to deliver a complete rehabilitation program to all three players before the 5 year bans expired.

The PCB failed to comply with the ICC directive to deliver the rehabilitation program to Asif and Butt within the five year ban period, and it was plain obvious that they thought that by doing so the bans would be extended indefinitely.

The ICC was infuriated by the PCB's non-compliance, and went ahead and announced that Asif and Butt were cleared to play from 2 September 2015 anyway.

The PCB blocked them unlawfully for a further year by delivering the rehabilitation program at the same time as the 2015-16 QEA season, so that they could then argue that they couldn't be considered for selection because they hadn't played First Class cricket.

And now the PCB has just hoped that Asif and Butt would not perform and that the national team would.

Whereas the national team is three consecutive defeats into what looks like being a horror run of six consecutive Test defeats.

And Asif is the brightest star in domestic cricket, and today Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal have the opportunity to make the PCB look even more stupid than it already does.

In my opinion, Inzamam and Mickey Arthur and Misbah should right now just take matters into their own hands, and announce that Mohammad Asif is added to the squad to tour Australia subject to approval by the PCB chairman.

What is there to lose? Do we not want to unsettle a team which has lost 7 of its last 9 Tests outside Asia?

 

[Junaids]

You do realize, that if Asif doesn't perform in Australia (provided he gets selected on some fantasy) , you guys would still make excuses like

"he's the best fast bowler in Pakistan"

"there is no one better"

and continue to select him.


His performance or lack of performance is a non-entity in these arguments.

Most of these arguments had already decided that Asif was a potential ATG and he was ready for selection even before a ball had been bowled in Quaid Trophy.

A lot people just jumped on the clamorous bandwagon, after they saw Asif performing on incredibly green wickets and picking up wickets.

Thing is, I don't mind Asif being selected if he is actually that good.

However, the same happened with Amir, and he is nowhere near that good as his proponents make him out to be. Needs a lot of work.

Asif is already at the wrong end of 30. What excuses would be made for his performance? That Once Upon a Time in Wonderland he was good?

Well that we all, know.

Unfortunately it's not good enough.

All these scenarios though, come into the picture if Asif is selected, which again looks like a Wonderland myth at the moment.

This makes no sense.

Amir may be averaging 38 instead of the 26 it would be if a normal percentage of catches was being taken.

But Mohammad Amir is still by a million miles the best fast bowler in the current Pakistan squad.

And the right-arm quicks are so terrible that the local team management has given up and gone for an all left-arm pace attack, even though the opposition has an off-spinner who will use the rough that they create.

I mean no disrespect, but these arguments against Asif are becoming increasingly detached from reality, which is that the selected right-arm quicks are not just grossly inferior to Asif, they are so bad that they couldn't even be selected against a bunch of kids in Cairns.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Exactly. This is a brilliant post.

I think that there has been a split in the PCB between the educated, westernised people like Shaharyar Khan, who bothered to read the ICC Tribunal determination and a bunch of board members who didn't bother to inform themselves on what Asif, Amir and Butt had really done, and just leapt onto Asif as a serial disgrace.

The ICC Tribunal which banned Amir, Asif and Butt - after ALL THREE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO IT - banned all three players for 5 years, with additional suspended (inactive) sentences against Asif and Butt which would only be activated if they offended again.

But the ICC Tribunal also directed the PCB to deliver a complete rehabilitation program to all three players before the 5 year bans expired.

The PCB failed to comply with the ICC directive to deliver the rehabilitation program to Asif and Butt within the five year ban period, and it was plain obvious that they thought that by doing so the bans would be extended indefinitely.

The ICC was infuriated by the PCB's non-compliance, and went ahead and announced that Asif and Butt were cleared to play from 2 September 2015 anyway.

The PCB blocked them unlawfully for a further year by delivering the rehabilitation program at the same time as the 2015-16 QEA season, so that they could then argue that they couldn't be considered for selection because they hadn't played First Class cricket.

And now the PCB has just hoped that Asif and Butt would not perform and that the national team would.

Whereas the national team is three consecutive defeats into what looks like being a horror run of six consecutive Test defeats.

And Asif is the brightest star in domestic cricket, and today Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal have the opportunity to make the PCB look even more stupid than it already does.

What is there to lose? Do we not want to unsettle a team which has lost 7 of its last 9 Tests outside In my opinion, Inzamam and Mickey Arthur and Misbah should right now just take matters into their own hands, and announce that Mohammad Asif is added to the squad to tour Australia subject to approval by the PCB chairman.

Asia?

Lol.

ICC doesn't care a tosh whether Butt or Asif are selected. Infuriated. LOL.

Lol to 2nd one.

Mickey Arthur and Inzimam are contracted members of PCB and cannot take matters into their own hands. They can suggest something, but why would they suggest Asif to be included, when Asif already hit himself in the foot by saying, I am better than the pacers being selected for the team.

Had he kept quiet, he might have a chance.

Now by openly antagonizing his potential team-mates, he has destroyed any chance of rapprochement. Yes, the same stupid words which Pakistani people were labeling as "heroic" and "right to speak" will have adversely affected him.

Anyways, you make me laugh sometimes in a good way.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

This makes no sense.

Amir may be averaging 38 instead of the 26 it would be if a normal percentage of catches was being taken.

But Mohammad Amir is still by a million miles the best fast bowler in the current Pakistan squad.

And the right-arm quicks are so terrible that the local team management has given up and gone for an all left-arm pace attack, even though the opposition has an off-spinner who will use the rough that they create.

I mean no disrespect, but these arguments against Asif are becoming increasingly detached from reality, which is that the selected right-arm quicks are not just grossly inferior to Asif, they are so bad that they couldn't even be selected against a bunch of kids in Cairns.

Yes, the "would be argument".

I would be a millionaire, if had hedged my funds right.

He would be a better cricketer, had he averaged 50.

When out of ideas, blame situations for current situation.

Asif may be "3 times better" but he is also "3 times likely to embarrass the nation" on another of his likely escapades.

PCB also might have this in mind.

I know you are desperate because you spent 3000 dollars, but PCB cannot account for your whims unfortunately and have to reasonably beyond proof establish that Asif is indeed a changed man.

4 or 5 priors (which might have been removed from his criminal record but they happened anyways), don't make his case stronger.

At the end, it is about winning, but not winning with Jack the Ripper.

 

[Junaids]

Lol.

ICC doesn't care a tosh whether Butt or Asif are selected. Infuriated. LOL.

.

Actually you are completely wrong on this. This is one part I know with absolute certainty, although I can't reveal my source.

The ICC Tribunal determination stated that Asif and Amir and Butt would regain eligibility to play domestic and international cricket on 2 September 2015, subject to completion of a rehabilitation program that the PCB must deliver in full by 1 September 2015.

But the PCB only offered it to Amir. I know whose great idea this was, but I can't tell you.

So the ICC bans on Asif and Butt in theory should have continued indefinitely beyond 2 September 2015 because they had failed to complete the required rehabilitation program.

So in early 2015 lawyers for Asif and Butt wrote to the PCB requesting for the umpteenth time that the rehabilitation programs start in time to be completed as required by 1 September 2015. And they received no response, for the umpteenth time.

So they then wrote politely to the ICC just before the deadline and explained that the PCB had not offered the players the required rehabilitation programs, and they asked the ICC how this affected their bans, and whether they would continue beyond 1 September 2015.

Which is how it came about that on 19 August 2015 - without reference to the PCB - the ICC issued the following media release advising that Asif and Butt were cleared to play from 2 September 2016.

http://www.icc-cricket.com/news/201...asif-and-butt-will-expire-on-1-september-2015

The PCB was shocked and angry that its absurd plan of obstruction had failed and that the ICC was refusing even to discuss the matter. Apart from Shaharyar Khan, who had told his colleagues all along that this would happen.

 

[starbuck]

I think he will be recalled but after the Australia series has ended

 

[Junaids]

I know you are desperate because you spent 3000 dollars, but PCB cannot account for your whims unfortunately and have to reasonably beyond proof establish that Asif is indeed a changed man.

4 or 5 priors (which might have been removed from his criminal record but they happened anyways), don't make his case stronger.

At the end, it is about winning, but not winning with Jack the Ripper.

I say this with a smile, rather than any animosity.......

It really is a good job that you are a doctor and not a lawyer, because you'd get yourself into awfully hot water with this argument.

The PCB has explicitly said that if Mohammad Asif performs, he is to be selected.

And now he has performed.

And you are instead now saying "we can't select him until we trust him". While making quite clear that you will never do so.

It's like the medieval legal instrument, the Ordeal by Water.

A suspected witch was put under water attached to a chair. If she floated, it proved that she was a witch so she had to be executed. But if she drowned it proved that she was not a witch.

That is what you are trying to do to Mohammad Asif. He had his cricket trial, and was sentenced on the basis of both the offence and all previous offences.

And now that he has abided by and served his punishment, people are trying to pervert the course of justice by inventing arbitrary and impossible conditions for his return.

I will say one thing. I'm learning an awful lot about the character and ethics of the people who are trying to pervert the course of justice in this case by inventing a type of double jeopardy for Asif and Butt.

 

[Junaids]

I should be clear that my post above does not accuse anyone on this forum of impropriety. I have an issue with the official goalposts being endlessly moved for Asif and Butt.

But I have no issue with anyone on this forum speaking freely and honestly.

 

[Abid Z]

Yes, the "would be argument".

I would be a millionaire, if had hedged my funds right.

He would be a better cricketer, had he averaged 50.

When out of ideas, blame situations for current situation.

Asif may be "3 times better" but he is also "3 times likely to embarrass the nation" on another of his likely escapades.

PCB also might have this in mind.

I know you are desperate because you spent 3000 dollars, but PCB cannot account for your whims unfortunately and have to reasonably beyond proof establish that Asif is indeed a changed man.

4 or 5 priors (which might have been removed from his criminal record but they happened anyways), don't make his case stronger.

At the end, it is about winning, but not winning with Jack the Ripper.

I don't think any selector can base their selections on so called "priors" when the punishment at the time has been served. I would hope that even in a country like Pakistan, not known for being a legal exemplar this double jeopardy rule doesn't apply.

Asif deserves to be considered for selection on merit but if the officials deem him a maverick and exclude him this is their prerogative (like with Pieterson).

I think we should still acknowledge that he has been a good domestic performer and still offers more than his right arm replacements in the squad and should be picked on merit. Whether he should be in the final 11 is a different point though.

 

[Grunge101]

Agreed with most things Junaid has said.

I have little doubt over his sociopathy. This is my line of work afterall...but this about selecting the most "morally astute 11" out of the country. I couldnt personally give a rats *** about his personality traits asong as he can keep himself out of trouble for the next 2-3 years that he has left in him.He has paid his dues for the infarctions he has comitted in the past. His chances for inclusion into the national squad should now be based totally on his performance and not his past.
Ive always maintained that while i rate Amir highly, Asif was the bigger loss out of the whole fiasco. I've never seen anyone with the skill to make the bowl talk the way he does..to me he was Mcgrath's accuracy combined with Wasim's talent of making it swing and seam.

He may never be as good as he was at his peak, but ive seen enough footage of this recent QA trophy to see he can still be potent...the wicket was helping the seam bowlers but certainly not as much as the recently concluded series in NZ.
He only has a couple of years more to play. Really hope PCB bring him back into the mold asap.